Steam generator or water heater



1,637 680 STEAM GENERATOR 0R WATER HEATER Filed Dec. 31, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1v WW5, w

mryal 1,637,681) 2 1927- T. CLARKSON STEAM GENERATOR on WATER HEATER Filed Dec. 31, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 1927. 1,637,680 1 T. CLARKSON I STEAM GENERATOR 0R WATER HEATER Filed Dec. 51, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 F/GJ.

i I i I I g I {NI/[N707 Aug. 2 1927 1637680 T. CLARKSON STEAM GENERATOR Oi? WATER HEATER Filed Dec. 31, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l 5 I a I i I Patented Aug. 2, 1927.

j ,VUNITED STA as PATENT oFFicE.

'rnomas cLanxson, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

STEAM GENERATOR Application filed December 31, 1925, Serial No.

f This invention relates to steam generators f 'or water heaters of the kind comprising an annular water chamber from which 'closed- 'endeddvaiter tubes or thimbles radiate inwards into a heating space through which hot gases flow from an inlet passage, liquid fuel burner or other source of heat at one endof the generator or water heater to an outlet: at the other end thereof." The object of the invention is a generator of the above'typc in which the fie or plug is arranged I the thimbles.

- also supported this portion .ofv a refractory metal OIFOlLllBI refractory provided with one or more passages transference of heat from the hot or products of combustionto the water will tend to be improved.

- According let is provided for the hot gases at the-upper end of the steam generator or ,heater. and a substantially cylindrical batcentrally in the heating space with its wall adjacent to the ends of the thiinbles so as to cause substantially I material and the upper portion of ordinary metal, these, two portions being. connected together in any convenient manner, while Where the plug is supported either rigidly or loosely only from theitop offthe generator, it may be formed ordinary metal or refractory material. I

In some cases the baffle or plug may be which air can be led into the combustion space. If desired, a superheater coil may be provided vand such a ,coil, insteadof bcing arranged space as hitherto, may be disposed above the closed-ended water tubes and preferably so as to extend into a cover or dome secured to the top 'of the generator. Inthis construction the gas outlet is conveniently arranged intheside of the dome ture is provided in the dome through which the plug can be withdrawn,this aperture to provide a I, I .can.bewithdrawn when to this invention a central out 7 generator through water entirely of suitable I the lower end of the plug or battle is I may be formed wholly either of:

through v concentric with the water a central heating and a central aper on WATER HEATER. 78,671, and in Great Britain .ianuary is, 1925, i

normally bein whichthe plug is suspended. Where a super-heater coil above described, theupper portion ofthe i o' closedby cover plate from heating space of the generator may be slightly reduced/in dian'icter where it surrounds the superheater coil, while where no superheater coil is provided that portion of the heating space which lies above thethimbles is conveniently considerably reduced in diameter so as to form atcentral outlet, passage :t'or the gases ,connnunicating"with an outlet pipe andthrough whichthe plug desired.

- The gases may-be led into the base of the a substantially helical passage so that they are caused to circulate round the plug or ballle as they pass through the heating space. The helical circulation above the base may be assisted by stagger- 's provided as ring the thinible tubes to form helical or,

spiral paths for the gases.

The invention maybe carried out in various ways but four alternative constructions o'ligcneratcr according to this invention are illustrated somewhatdiagrammatically by;

way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 a vertical section through the longitudinal axis of one construction of generator in which the battle formed partially of refractory material and partly of metal, Figure 2 a similar view to Figure 1 of an alternativeform of generator in which a supcrheater coil is provided,

Figure 3 is avertical section longitudinal, axis, of another alternative form of generator in which no superheater coil is provided, and

Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 3 canbe fed to the col'nbustion space through the plug or battle. i

In the construction illustrated in Figure 1, the generator comprises anannular water through the of another form of generator in which air chamber builtup from two cylindrical members A, r 1 connected at their ends by suitable end plates A and A The inner me'm-' berm-t c ies a, series of closed-ended conical water tubes or thimblesiB projecting radially inwards from the member A into space through which the hotgases or products of combustion are adapted to liow,.these tubes being sufficiently tapered to leave a space between them. The

"indicated at D guide surface tends to cause the gases enter ing the generator to circulate'round' the central space as they pass through it[ This helical guide surface or inlet passage D for the hot gases entering the generator through a delivery ,pipe D a liquid fuel burner also being provided, if desired, as The helical passage or effect is aided by the staggered arrangement of the tubes, as previously described. The

- member-D has a hollow conical boss D adapted to form a support for and accomm'odate a spigot E on the lower end of a tubular bafiie'E mounted in theceiitral space of the generator and ofd'such diameter that its'wall lies adjacent to the inner ends of the cth imbles B. The tubular battle E comprises a lower portion E formed of refractory material and an upper portion E formed of metal. The lower end of the, upper portion E fits over the upper end of the lower portion E and is connected thereto by one or mere pins or the like E; The upper end of the tubular member E is formed conical and supported by a vertical bolt F one endof which engages a suitable plug E in the up- ;per end of the member E while the other end is secured to a "bridge piece F extending across theupper end of the outlet pas'sage A ii cylindrical baffle "G is conveniently disposed in the water space so as to extend around substantially the whole of that portion of the inner cylindrical member A in which the thimbles B are disposed and thus assist in the circulation of water which will tend to pass up inside the baiHeG and down outside it. When the apparatus is intended for use as a steam generator, a perforated steam collecting pipe G is conveniently disposed in the upper end of the. steam and water space as shown.

In the alternative construction illustrated in Figure 2, the steam generator comprises inner and outer cylindrical members H H connected at their ends by suitable flanges or the like so as to enclose an annular steam and water space. Closed-ended water tubes or thimbles J project radially inwards from the wall of the innerv member H into a centralheating space through whichthe 'hot gases are adapted to flow.

The upper portion of the inner member H is slightly reduced in diameter as shown at H and a superheater coil K is disposed within this reduced portion and extends into a dome-like member H mounted on the top ofthegenerator. The dome-like member H is provided with a lateral outlet H for the gases and a central-aperture normally closed by a removable cover L. Suspended from the cover L. by a link L is'a cylindrical plug or baiiie M adapted to lie in the central space between the ends of the thimbles J and thus cause the hot gases to flow over and between theseithimbles. The internal diameter of the superheated coil K and the diameter of the aperture closed by the cover L are such as to permit the withdrawal of'the plug M through the top of the dome H Disposed in the water chamber is a cylindrical baffle N adapted to assist the circulation of water in a similar manner to the. bafiie Gr, shown in Figure 1. Suitable steam collecting pipes N are conveniently :pro- 'vided in the upper end of the steam and water space and a feedwater pipeN? conveniently enters this space near its "lower end.

In the construction illustrated in F igure 3, the steam generator or water heater comprises an annular water and steamchamber built up from two cylindrical members 0.

() connected at their ends by-suitable plates or the like 0 0 The inner member 0 carries a series of closed-ended tubes or thimbles P extending radially inwards into a central heating chamber through which the hot gases flow for example as shown in Figure 3 from a furnace chamber adapted for the burning of solid fuel and is reduced in diameter at its upper end above the thimbles,=as shown at O to form an outlet passage for these gases. Disposed in the central space between the closed ends of the thimbles P is a cylindrical plug'or batlie Q formed either of metal or of .a refractory material and suspended by a rod Q from a bridge piece Q arranged acrossthe upper end of the outlet passage 0*. As in the constructions previously described, a 'bafile plate R is arranged in the annular water chamber to assist the circulation while a perforated steam collecting pipe R is disposed in the upper end of the annular chamher when the apparatus is to be employed as a steam generator. An outlet pipe 0 for the gases is conveniently secured to the top of the generator as shown.

The steam generator or water heater shown in Figure 4 is somewhat similar to that shown in Figure 3,andcomprisesinner and outer cylindrical members S, S connected at their ends by members S S to form an annular steam and water chamber. The 1111161 member S carries closed-ended water J crate steam.

, the plug through the tube U as shownat S to form an outlet passagefor these gases.

Disposed in thespace between theclosed ends of the tubes T is a hollow bridge piei'eU by a tube U through which air. can be delivered to the interior of the plug U The tube U is bent at its upper end as shown as U and passes through the wall of an outlet pipe for the hot gases from the generator while the lower end wall of the plug U is provided'with one or more apertures U through which air delivered to combustionspace of the generator. In this instance the generator is shown as provided previously described constructions and a perforated steam collecting pipe X is disposed in. the upper end of the steam space, a perforated' annular baffle or splash plate Y being also provided below the steam collecting pipe if desired.

-, Although the IIIVBIIlZlOIllIflS been particularly described with reference to steam generators, it is to be understood that it may be applied to water heaters not intended to gen-- Further, in a generator embodying either of the constructions or arrangementsof battle as illustrated in Figures 1. 2 or 3, the generator may be heated by a furnace in which solid fuel is burnt or,

heat may be supplied to the generator either by hot gases derived from some external source alone, for example the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, or by a liquid fuel burner or other direct source of heat alone, or means may be provided whereby heat may be delivered to the generator from these sources either alternatively or together. Where a liquid fuelor like burner is'provided for use alternativelyor in addition to some external source of heat, a

cover plate may be provided adapted either i to close the air inlet passage for the fuel burner, which remains in position, or to replace the fuel burner and thus close the aperture through which it normally projects.

It is to be understood that thedetails of constructionmay be varied according to the purpose for which the generator or water heater is intended or the source of'heat employed without departing from this invention.

I lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A water heater comprising an annular water chamber surrounding a heating space I through which hot gases are adapted to pass,

closed-ended water tubes extending radially cylindrical metal 'plug or baffle U suspended from a can pass to the 1 inwards from the water chamber into the heating space, means for supplying heat to the heating spaceadjacent to its lower end, a central outlet'for the hot gases at the upper end of the heater, a bridge piece extending acrossthisoutlet, a substantially cylindrical baffle disposedcentrally within the heating space with its wall adjacent to the ends of the water tubes and a supporting member for the battle disposed coaxially therewith andconnected at'its lower end to the upper "end of the battle and at itsupper end to the bridge piece. 2. A water heater comprising an annular water chamber surrounding a heating space through which'hot gases are adapted to pass, closed-ended water tubes extendingradially inwards from the water chamber into the heating space, means for supplying heat to the heating space adjacent to its lower end,

a central outlet for the hot gases at the upper end of the heater, a bridge piece extending across this outlet, a substantially cylindrical baffle disposed centrally within the heating space with its wall adjacent to the ends of the water tubes and means for supporting thebafile comprising a member on which the lower end of the baflie rests and a rod like member disposed coaxially with the bafiie and connected at its ends respectively to the upper end of the bafile and to the bridge piece.

3. A water heater comprising an annular water chamber surrounding a heating space through which hot gases are adapted to pass, closed-ended water tubes extending radially inwards from the water chamber into the heating space, means for supplying heat to the heating space adjacent to its lower end,

a central outlet for the hot gases at the upper end of the heater, a bridge piece extending across this outlet, a substantially cylindrical bailie disposed centrally within the heating space with its wall adjacent to the ends of the water tubes, the lower end of this bafllc being formed of refractory material, and means for supporting the baffle comprising a refractory base on which the lower end of the baffle rests and a rod like member disposed coaxially with the bafile and connected at its ends respectively to the upper end of the battle and to the bridge piece.

a Awater heater comprising an annular water chamber surrounding a heating space through which hot gases are adapted to pass, closed-ended water tubes extending radially inwards from the water chamber into the heating space, a refractory member within the base of the heater, a helical guide surface formed in this refractory member, means for delivering hot gases on to this guide surface whereby the gases will tend to circulate around the axis of the generator in addition to passing therethrough over the water lit) fl uppe end 9 the h a t-Aer, ee a ub tan t ellyeyl edr ee b fle sli pb e ra y wi h 'the at sg Space wi &3 well adj gent I130 jche ends iof the Iwateftubes whereby e substantially the Whole f the hot gases pass ing through the heeter will be caused to flow (Nerf and between the Water tubes.

5. A Water heatericomprising an annular. water chamber surrounding a heating space through which hot gases are adapted to pass, closed-ended waiter tubes extending r adially inwards from the ater chamberinto the heating space a refractory member Within the base of-"the heater, a helical guide surface formed in this member, means for dehyenng hot gases on ,to plus .guldesurfiace heyeby the gases W111 tend to circulate a ound he i tr s et n sp c i d l ve t pe sing l r through ov the Water tubes, a central eutlet 'forthe gaseset the upper end f the heeter, :1 bridge piece extending across this outlet', a substantially cylindrical ba the heatingspace with its wall adjacent to the ends of the Water tubes, the lower end oft his baffle resting on the refractory menr her at the baseef the heater, and means for supporting the upper end of the baffle coinprising aired like member disposed coaxielly with the baffle and connected at its ends respectively" to the upper end of fche baflie and to the bridge piece.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name .to this specification; v

THOMAS GL S N,

disposed centrally Within 

